Twenty-Two 

Lance kicked at the sidewalk, occasionally connecting with a stone or twig. The campus was unusually quiet, but it was still the Thanksgiving holiday. Very few students were back on campus, and Lance was glad to have the huge fraternity house all to himself. Thanksgiving had been a nightmare, and he was already dreading Christmas break. He knew that he was still allowing his parents to push him around, but he was too afraid of the consequences. He needed to just stand up to them, firmly announce that he was and always would be gay, and then face whatever they threw at him. He didn't think they'd stop loving him or anything, but he was pretty sure they'd do something serious, like throw him out of the house. He had never been anything but an attribute to them, something they could hold up to other parents, but this entire situation was freaking them out. No one else's children were gay, and they didn't know how to react.

Lance looked up as he walked past the arts building. He saw what looked like the back of JC's head entering the building, but he didn't call out. He was still incredibly hurt at the way JC had acted towards him, and he didn't know what had caused it. It was kind of ironic…he had never thought he would consider Justin Timberlake a friend, but Justin had helped him while he was home. And he had NEVER thought JC would ever turn on him the way he had.

Lance bumped into someone and apologized. He smiled when he saw who it was. “Hey, Chris, sorry. I was off somewhere.”

“Hey, Lance.” Chris blushed and looked away.

“Are you okay?”

“I'm fine. How are you? What are you doing here?” Chris asked quickly.

“Well…things didn't go well at home, and I couldn't be there a minute longer. Justin asked me to come to him, but I couldn't,” Lance said. “How about you?”

“Things were boring, you know, at home, so here I am, ready for school to start again!” Chris said, sounding suspiciously like he was babbling.

“I, uh, just saw JC go into the building, I think,” Lance said, pointing to the door.

“Okay,” Chris said, looking at him strangely. “He didn't tell you?”

“I haven't talked to JC since before the holiday,” Lance admitted. “He acted like a total asshole…no offense to your boyfriend and all.”

“Lance, he's not my boyfriend anymore,” Chris said. “I thought he would have told you.”

“What?” Lance gasped.

“We…uh…yeah. Look, I gotta go. I'll see you around.” Chris darted away before Lance could say anything more. 

Lance's phone rang, causing him to jump. He had been sitting on his bed, a book in front of him. He had read the same sentence three times before staring into space, wondering about JC. He wondered why they had broken up, and why JC couldn't talk to him about it.

“Hello?”

“Lance,” a voice said through a crackling cell phone. “This is Justin.”

“Hey,” Lance said surprised. “Where are you?”

“Freeway on my way from the airport,” Justin said. “In a cab.”

“Why?”

“I thought I'd beat the rush, come back early,” Justin said.

“Oh,” Lance said. Then he sighed. “I'm really glad you're back, Justin. I need to talk to someone.” 

“JC and Chris broke up?” Justin asked, flopping on Lance's bed. “Are you SURE?”

“Chris told me himself,” Lance said. “But I can't believe JC didn't say anything to me. We're like best friends.”

“I can see him not telling me, or something, but you? That's odd. I guess he was just hurting.”

“That doesn't give him the right to hurt me,” Lance mumbled. He looked at Justin. “How did you know to call me here?”

“I figured you'd probably come back early, but I called your house. Your mom about freaked when I gave my name,” Justin said with a grin. “Thank God I didn't have to ask where you were…I mean, I'm your boyfriend, right, so I should have known you'd come back early.”

“Yeah.” Lance turned pink.

“Have you ever had one?” Justin asked, changing the subject from JC. “A boyfriend, I mean.”

“No,” Lance said softly. “Never.”

“Me either. I think I want one, though. Girls are cool and all, but I'd love a steady relationship with a guy.” Justin picked up Lance's pillow and began tossing it up and down.

“Anyone in mind?” Lance asked, trying to tease. He was little by little becoming more comfortable with Justin.

Justin caught the pillow. “Yes,” Justin said quietly, and gave Lance an intense stare. He stood and walked to where Lance was sitting at his desk. Lance immediately got up and went to sit on the bed. Justin followed him. “I was worried about you,” Justin said. “You sounded so upset at your parents' house.”

“I was.” Lance wondered why his hands were shaking. “You were worried?”

“I was,” Justin said, mimicking Lance. He put a hand on Lance's knee. “You're shaking.”

“I…”

“You're scared of me?”

“Yes. No. Uh…”

“Me, too,” Justin said. He looked at Lance and leaned forward. Lance couldn't stop himself from leaning towards Justin, and he didn't hear the sigh he released as they kissed.

Twenty-Three